The African Diamond Trilogy Box Set

by Christopher Lowery

  At this, he opened the main doors for them. They walked out and crossed the street towards the Rue du Mont Blanc, heading for the bank.

  “I don’t trust that man,” said Jenny. “How can he imagine that we’d let him copy our keys? The sooner we move everything from there, the better.”

  “I absolutely agree,” said Adam. “Shifty-looking bloke with a bad breath. I wouldn’t trust him an inch.”

  As they turned the corner, a black BMW drew up in front of the Ramseyer, Haldemann building. Two men jumped out and ran to the door, which was being held open by Jolidon.

  “You’ve just missed them,” he said petulantly, flicking a hand in their direction.

  “Merde. Fucking traffic!” The two men turned and ran to the corner just in time to see them walking away. They stopped, came back and went inside with the directeur.

  Adam had turned to look behind him as they turned the corner. He saw the two men run towards them then stop when they walked onto the main street. He said nothing to the women.

  Brigitte Aeschiman was a striking-looking brunette in her early forties, with a full figure, still carrying a little extra weight after the birth of her first child. Like almost everyone they had met in Geneva, she spoke perfect English, this time with a charming French accent, almost like a lisp. She showed them a photograph of her new daughter, Camille. She had only been back at the bank for a month, after five months of maternity leave. It had been a difficult pregnancy.

  She was devastated to learn of Charlie’s accident and Nick’s demise. They had apparently had a client-banker relationship for over ten years, although she told them that since Charlie’s heart attack he had seldom been to Geneva.

  The women handed over the documents signed by Charlie, together with their passports, and their signatures were recorded so that they could now operate the accounts. They then authorised Adam to be added as a signatory, to replace Nick.

  Jenny asked about the other signatory powers on the accounts. They learned that Mr. Vogel could sign for any amount up to fifty thousand Swiss Francs, enough to cover normal monthly expenses, salaries, etc. Any larger amount had to be countersigned by Charlie or Nick. They, mainly Charlie, had done this by fax, from their homes.

  Mme. Aeschiman printed out a statement of the transactions for the last year for them. There were two accounts. The balance on the first, the operating account, was a little over two hundred thousand dollars, Nick and Laurent’s operating cash. There were a number of entries on the account. Sales receipts, payments for salaries and expenses, and transfers to the Angolan Clan account. In a separate, IDD Escrow Account, there was only one entry, Adam’s million dollars. It had accrued some interest over the last few months. Jenny placed the statements into Schneider’s folder.

  She explained to Mme. Aeschiman that there would be some substantial transactions with Adam’s customers within the next couple of weeks. Funds would arrive and transfers would be required. The banker confirmed that they could send their instructions by fax, to execute these transactions without coming to Geneva.

  Mme. Aeschiman escorted them to the exit. “I’ll send confirmation of any receipts by email and wait for your instructions. I hope everything goes well for you in the future.” They shook hands and left her. Their business had taken less than an hour.

  “You realise that you might have to come back with me to ship the diamonds?” Adam said, worriedly. “That’s if we can’t find the other partners, I mean.”

  “We’ll deal with that in due course, Adam. For now I just wanted to make sure that we can operate the accounts so you can execute your transactions. Now you can relax and go back for Nick’s funeral without worrying.” Pragmatic as always, Jenny continued, “We just have time to take you to the IDD office before it gets too dark. It’s almost right next door.”

  They entered no. 362 Rue de la Gare and went up to the third floor. The door to the IDD offices was locked and no one answered when they knocked. Jenny took out the Yale key, opened the door and found the light switch. Gloria’s office looked exactly the same, vacant and tidy, but Vogel’s office looked different, it had been tidied, virtually emptied. The piles of travel books and ski magazines were gone, the filing cabinet was closed. The accounting certificate and ski diplomas were missing, the wall still showing the light patches where they had hung. The desk was bare and there was not a document or a file to be seen.

  “”Curiouser and curiouser,” said Alice.”

  “Sorry, Jenny. What did you say?”

  “Oh, I was just being an English Literature teacher for a moment. It’s a line from Alice in Wonderland. What I mean is, what’s going on?”

  “I think it’s what I said. It looks like Herr Vogel has gone for a long holiday.”

  They looked through the files in the cabinet. There were corporate and other documents concerning the British Virgin Islands, and tax and administrative papers for Switzerland, as well as accounts and financial reports for the company. The last was for 25th April, 2007. There were no accounts for 2008.

  They went back into Gloria’s office and took down several files from the shelves. They were all two pronged dossiers in hard covers, with the documents fastened over the prongs and clipped down. Leticia opened up the first of them. It was labelled IDD Diamond Transactions Account. October, 1975 – April, 1976. Inside were all of the transaction documents for that period concerning the sale of diamonds, the costs of shipping, insurance, cutting, polishing, commissions, travel and other expenses. All the transactions were listed on typed sheets with details of each item and the account balance. The statements for the IDD account at the Banque de Commerce de Genève were at the front, showing all receipts and expenses and the regular transfers into the Angolan Clan account at Klein, Fellay. Like the statements at Ramseyer, Haldemann, the entries were ticked carefully off with coloured pencils. The other files were for May to April for each succeeding year. There were thirty-one of them in all.

  Jenny took up the last one, May, 2007 –, it was quite thin. Gloria hadn’t closed this one off and it was unlikely to go beyond 2008. She opened it up and looked at the last quarterly bank statement from the Banque de Commerce de Genève, it was dated 31st March, 2008. She compared it with the Excel listing in the file, it showed the same balance. She pulled out the statement given to her by Mme. Aeschiman and compared the balance at the same date, it was identical. If something is going on, I can’t spot it for the moment. She put the file into the large plastic folder with the bank statements.

  On a lower shelf, there were ten old fashioned ledgers. They were divided into sections for the same periods as the files. They contained very complete entries, in Nick’s handwriting, concerning the numbers of rough stones, the finished gems, weights before and after cutting, losses in processing and a variety of other details. In a separate section, they found records of the various processing companies and customers that IDD had worked with over the past thirty-odd years. Adam looked through the pages and found his name on the list.

  Nick had also added information on price fluctuations and market trends, year by year, illustrated by carefully drawn graphs. Charlie’s prognosis concerning the price of diamonds had been well founded. The market continued to be strong and values increased almost every year up to 2000, when highest quality finished stones gradually settled down to between fifteen and twenty thousand dollars per carat - four times their 1975 value.

  Looking over this data, carefully compiled by his father over the last three decades, Adam was lost in admiration for him. Together with Charlie, he had worked out a way to avoid the big corporations and create a hugely profitable business, a business that had produced millions of dollars for its partners. Charlie Bishop was certainly a very clever man but Adam realised that Nick Martinez had been equally clever in his own way.

  Jenny said, “This is very impressive work. Your father was a true professional. I’m sorry that we won’t ever meet him.” Adam looked gratefully at her, struggling with his emotions.<
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  Leticia looked up from the ledger in her hand. “This makes me think of something. We have to do this last transaction with you, but we don’t know any details yet.”

  “Nick and I executed a contract in January. I have to complete the purchase of the remaining diamonds at a price of exactly ten million dollars, that’s twelve hundred carats at eight thousand three hundred and thirty three dollars a carat. They’re very precise guys.”

  Once again, the amount involved made the women’s heads swim. That was about seven million Euros, on top of all the money they’d already discovered. This is just like winning a lottery jackpot, thought Jenny. And we know how they often turn out.

  “I have four buyers who are ready to complete. All we have to do is to prepare the diamonds into four batches, I know what the customers want, so I can do that. Then we deliver them to Securitas, in Geneva. They confirm that they have the merchandise, the customers transfer the funds to my bank and I transfer the ten million to the Banque de Commerce.”

  “Then we pay you back the million dollars?”

  “Right, then we transfer everything from the IDD account to the Angolan Clan account and make the final distribution of all the Angolan Clan funds to the partners. It’s really quite simple, except for a couple of things.”

  “We don’t know where are Laurent and Raffael.”

  “Number one, right.”

  “And someone has to be with you to get the diamonds from the vault and deliver them to Securitas.”

  “Right again, number two.”

  Jenny had a sudden thought. “I wonder.” She picked up the phone on Gloria’s desk, pressed the menu button and then the phone’s internal directory, looking under G, for Gloria, then S, for Smouha. There was what looked like a mobile number for Smouha, G. She dialled it, but the phone was switched off. She redialled the secretary’s home number from her own mobile, but once again it rang out without a reply.

  “Still no sign of Gloria. She and Vogel have disappeared off the face of the earth. I simply don’t understand it. And it’s Saturday tomorrow, and we have to leave anyway, so we can’t get anything done before next week. It looks like you’re going to have to come back after the funeral, Adam. Unless we can get hold of Laurent and handle the dispatch of the diamonds with him.”

  It seemed to Jenny that things were getting seriously out of control. She didn’t like the feeling at all. She looked at her watch and gave a frustrated sigh. “It’s five thirty and Leticia and I need to make some telephone calls and I would like a hot bath. We’d better get back to the hotel. Where are you staying?”

  “I haven’t actually got a reservation. What with all the rushing about I guess I just didn’t get round to it.”

  “I’ll make a call.” Leticia pulled out her mobile and dialled a number. After a short conversation in Portuguese, she said, “Isso está perfeito. Muita obrigada Senhora. That’s perfect, thank you.” She winked at Adam. “Right, you are staying with us, lucky you!”

  Jenny could hardly contain herself. “What’s wrong with the French?”

  “Dios. I don’t believe this city, half the staff in the banks and hotels is Portuguese. It’s easier to talk English or Portuguese than French. I think I’ll give up learning the language.”

  Adam laughed. “Wherever the hotel is, let’s get a cab at the station, I’m too weary to walk anywhere.”

  At Klein, Fellay, Mademoiselle Rousseau brought the material for the Global Internet Banking system into Eric Schneider’s office. He examined and countersigned the new signatory forms and indemnity documents and she went out to photocopy them. While she was absent, he checked the three small electronic security number generators against the account number and put them in three envelopes addressed to Adam, Jenny and Leticia. Mlle. Rousseau brought back the documents, carefully folded them and placed them in the envelopes and sealed them.

  “Call the courier service and get them delivered to the Hotel de la Grange this evening, Mademoiselle. And then you can leave for the weekend, thank you.”

  His assistant looked at her watch. “It’s almost six o’clock, Mr. Schneider. I’m not sure that we can get a delivery in time. But I’m going into Eaux-Vives this evening. I can drop them off if you like. That way we’re sure that they’ll get them before they leave.”

  Schneider was relieved. His new clients would see that the bank’s service was second to none. He blew his nose enthusiastically and consigned the envelopes to Mlle. Rousseau.

  SEVENTY-NINE

  Friday, 25th April, 2008

  Geneva, Switzerland

  Leticia claimed their keys from the hotel receptionist. Their rooms had old fashioned locks, not the modern swipe card locks that are common in the big hotels. They went upstairs to make their calls and left Adam to sign in. It seemed that he had been lucky to get the last room. It was on the second floor, below their accommodation.

  They didn’t notice the man sitting in reception with his back to them, reading the Tribune de Genève. But once again he noticed them and he heard everything.

  Emilio was excited to hear that his mother would be home the next evening. Encarni told her that they were already planning the weekend, the weather was fine and there were lots of beach activities involved. Leticia then called Juan to ask him to pick them up at Malaga airport. Juan didn’t ask a single question, he was a very quiet man.

  Jenny called Linda, at the kennels. She told her that Cooper was eating well, he was in great spirits and he wasn’t pining for Jenny. This news quite upset her.

  When Adam got to his room he called his mother. Rachel was relieved to hear from him. She was fine, Hanny was fine, the family was fine and Suzie was wonderful. Despite her own feelings after losing Nick, she had been a great comfort to them. The funeral arrangements were all settled and he had to be home by Monday evening. He then called his customers and arranged to see them on his way back to Florida.

  Jenny called Leticia’s room. “Why don’t we take Adam out for dinner? It’s our last night in Geneva. That Eaux-Vives place sounds good. Shall we splash out with some of our newly acquired wealth?”

  “Let me book, Jenny. I am the only one who speaks Portuguese!”

  Esther Rousseau left Klein, Felly, with the three envelopes in her handbag and caught the number one bus from Plainpalais to Place des Eaux-Vives. She walked along to the Hotel Mercury, went straight up to the third floor and knocked at the door of room 310. “Chéri!” she cried, as a man opened the door and took her in his arms.

  It was eight o’ clock when the two women knocked on Adam’s door on their way downstairs.

  “I’ll be down in five minutes,” he called.

  As they were waiting in the lobby, Leticia’s phone rang. It was a Spanish mobile number which she didn’t recognise. She pressed the green button. “Si, diga me.”

  It was a very bad line, but above the crackling she managed to make out a man’s voice speaking in Spanish, “Hello, Leticia, this is Francisco calling. How are you?”

  Hiding her surprise, she answered. “Francisco, I’m fine. How are you? Where are you?” When Jenny heard this, she raised her finger to her lips. Don’t say too much.

  “I’m in London. Sorry I didn’t see you, but I had an urgent call from a client. I just wanted to be sure that everything is OK with you and Jenny. Are you in Geneva?”

  “Yes we are and everything is going fine, thanks. We’ve managed to get our business done.” Leticia took Jenny’s cue.

  “I’m glad to hear it. When will you be coming back to Marbella?”

  “We’ll be home tomorrow evening. We’re just going out for dinner at a posh restaurant in the park next door, you probably know it. Eaux-Vives, it’s called.”

  After a few more words she thanked the lawyer and rang off. “That was thoughtful of him. He says the restaurant is very good and he sends you his fond regards. Lucky you.”

  Jenny flushed. That’s not so funny, she thought. Aloud, she said, “Where’s Adam?”

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bsp; She went to the courtesy phone on the reception desk and rang his room. There was no answer. She was just about to go back up again when he came running down the stairs.

  “Sorry. Had to make one more phone call. Right, let’s go. On the town with two gorgeous women, the champagne’s on me.”

  They walked out of the hotel past a man in a raincoat standing in the shadows, smoking a cigarette. It was too dark to make out his features under the brim of his hat. After they went by, he threw his cigarette down, spoke on a mobile phone then walked up the stairs into the hotel, passing another man who was coming out behind the others. He waited a few minutes in the reception area and was then joined by Esther Rousseau. Together, they walked up the stairs to the third floor of the hotel.

  The restaurant building was magnificent, a cross between a chateau and a chalet in the middle of a delightful park. The Maître d’Hotel, slim and erect in his morning coat and patent leather shoes, reminded Jenny of Fred Astaire. He whisked them across the room to a table looking right over the lake. They had a memorable evening.

  The man sitting in the bar kept his eye on them while he wrote up his notes for the day’s activity. He listed every place they had been and the name of the man who had joined them, which he’d overheard in the hotel reception. His boss would be pleased with his diligence.

  “Goodnight, ladies, see you early for breakfast. Moving day tomorrow.” The women left Adam at his bedroom door and walked up to the next floor. They kissed good night and Jenny went along to her room. It was ten thirty and she was beat. What a day! I’ll be glad to get home.

  As she entered her room, Jenny noticed a slight aroma. It could have been a man’s after shave but it was too faint to identify. She threw her handbag on the bed, undressed and went to the bathroom to clean her teeth. There was no safe in the room, but the top drawer of the chest of drawers had a lock. She took the key from under the lamp on her bedside cabinet where she’d hidden it and opened the drawer to put back the watch and rings she was wearing.